Thursday, October 29, 2015

I received DVD for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

It's the coldest day of the year, and that means one thing: fun! Grab your hat, scarf, mittens and coat and join Peppa and her family and friends as they build a snowman, throw snowballs, race their sleds, and much more! Kids will love these hilarious winter adventures filled with lots of snorts and laughter, and of course, ice-skating on frozen muddy puddles!

Available November 11 on DVD and digital download, the release features 10 hilarious “peppasodes”, based on the popular Nick Jr. series that follows the adventures of Peppa, a loveable, exuberant little piggy who lives with her brother George, Mummy and Daddy.

My Review:

Two of my nieces are enamored with Peppa Pig. The animated television series, geared towards preschoolers, follows the adventures of Peppa Pig and her animal friends. In addition to pig characters, some other animals featured are dogs, cats, sheep and rabbits. They all display humanlike characteristics.

The newest DVD Peppa Pig: Cold Winter Day has ten separate episodes, with a total running time of 60 minutes. Most of the episodes are centered around things done in the colder time of year and with snow. It's an adorable DVD to watch all year round, especially in the upcoming months.

Last week I totally failed and forgot to post for 'Power of Prayer Thursdays'. I hope that life is treating you well and that God is greatly blessing you.

I believe in a God that hears my prayers and answers them. I've witnessed the miraculous gift of answered prayer. And, I want to pray for you. I've started weekly Power of Prayer post every Thursday. We are now on week seven.

If you are needing prayer in an area of your life, please leave a comment and I'll commit to pray for your need or request. You can be as general or as specific as you like. Whether it be for healing, salvation, finances, emotions, or another area of life, I'd like to lift it up in prayer.

If you are someone who takes requests, please keep me in your prayers. My ear surgery is coming up Wednesday. It was actually supposed to be yesterday but was moved up a week. Thanks!

I received no product or compensation for this post. This post is in partnership with PR firm. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

In honor of this year's Day of the Dead, I wanted to revisit the wondrous fantasy-adventure film, The Book Of Life!

THE BOOK OF LIFE is a breathtaking animated comedy with a dazzling visual style unlike anything you’ve seen before. Torn between the expectations of his family and the desires of his heart, a young man named Manolo sets off on an epic quest that spans three spectacular worlds in order to reunite with his one true love and defend his village. Not your ordinary fairy tale, THE BOOK OF LIFE is a wondrous fantasy-adventure filled with magic, music and fun!

Have you seen the 'Book of Life' film? What will you be doing on the Day of the Dead?

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Halloween candy needs to quit going on sale. I had no intention on buying any. But the struggle is real.

I'm not going to be home on Halloween (don't try robbing me, my dog can be mean) and my kids are too old to go from house to house. But between Walgreens, County Market, and Hyvee I've been making impulse purchases on Halloween candy. The sales are too good to pass up. So is the candy.

I figured since I've been stocking up on candy like it's gold, I'd share with you my favorites for Halloween:

Twizzlers

At the very top of my list are Twizzlers. They have to be the individually wrapped Strawberry twists. Not cherry, and definitely not black.

Almond Joy

"Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't." As for me, I always feel like a nut.

Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins

The marriage of peanut butter and chocolate is a perfect match.

Tootsie Dots

I'll fight ya for these gumdrops. They stick to your teeth and linger there for forever flavor.

I know there's a ton that I've left out. For instance, you won't see me pass up a Butterfinger or Twix. But, by golly, I'd consider being your BFF if you stopped by with a bag of my favorites.

What's your favorite Halloween candy? Will you be taking kids trick-or-treating this year?

I received product for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

Someday I'm going to get around to watching Inside Out. It looks like an entertaining children's movie. I believe the holidays will be brimming with Inside Out merchandise. Movie fans can now let their imaginations run wild with a range of puzzles that capture all of the emotions in the Disney • PIXAR hit movie Inside Out. The new puzzling offerings feature Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness in full color so that young puzzlers can assemble scenes from the movie.

There are times when I like to relax by putting together a puzzle. I received the Inside Out Emotional Adventure Jigsaw Puzzle from Ravensburger and spent some time with my nieces putting them together.
There are three puzzles in the box, all in one plastic package.
Each puzzle has 49 pieces and there are paper posters that replicate exactly what each puzzle would look like when finished. The backs of each puzzle are color coded. One is plain blue, one is blue with stripes, and the third is blue with dots. That way you can sort the pieces for each individual puzzle. The final puzzles show scenes with characters from the Inside Out movie. The puzzle pieces were easy to put in place and they were made of sturdy materials.

Ravensburger is a leading supplier of puzzles, games, and other products. The company uses an exclusively developed, extra-thick cardboard combined with fine, linen-structured paper to create a glare-free puzzle image for a quality you can feel. Their steel cutting tools are designed and crafted by hand. This ensures that no two pieces are alike and guarantees a perfect interlocking fit.

I received book for review from Moody Publishers. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

“Stewardship? What’s that got to do with me?” you might ask.

Tony Evans explains that all we think we own really belongs to God. And when we think of “our” money that way, we can learn to be good stewards, or managers, of what has been entrusted to us.

Living in Financial Victory carefully lays out how we should approach the vital topic of money in the areas of:

Stewardship — Using what we have to further God’s kingdom agenda

Rewards — The blessings and benefits of doing it God’s way

Victory — Overcoming debt and being in financial bondage

Tony Evans will help you discover the answers to everyday financial issues by showing you that God has a purpose for your money. Take the journey through this concise and practical book.

My Review:

Written with much Biblical reference and scripture, Living in Financial Victory is a quick read that gives tips and advice on how to get out of debt and stay that way. Written from a Christian perspective, this book serves harsh realities of God's views about debt, laziness, and stewardship. There's not a lot of concrete suggestions on exact steps to receive financial victory. There is, however, helpful and insightful information on what it takes to be a good steward. Living in Financial Victory doesn't beat around the bush, and is straight-forward with how a person needs to focus their thoughts on finances. It also reminds us that we need to seek God as a first priority before we worry about material matters.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

I received book for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

When it comes to time-honored holiday traditions, Jen Mann pulls no punches.

In this hilariously irreverent collection of essays, Jen Mann, nationally bestselling author of People I Want to Punch in the Throat, turns her mordant wit on the holidays. On Mann’s naughty list: mothers who go way overboard with their Elf on the Shelf, overzealous carolers who can’t take a hint, and people who write their Christmas cards in the third person (“Joyce is enjoying Bunko. Yeah, Joyce, we know you wrote this letter.”). And on her nice list . . . well, she’s working on that one. Here, no celebration is off-limits. The essays include:

• You Can Keep Your Cookies, I’m Just Here for the Booze
• Nice Halloween Costume. Was Skank Sold Out?
• Why You Won’t Be Invited to Our Chinese New Year Party

From hosting an ill-fated Chinese New Year party, to receiving horrible gifts from her husband on Mother’s Day, to reluctantly telling her son the truth about the Easter Bunny, Mann knows the challenge of navigating the holidays while keeping her sanity intact. And even if she can’t get out of attending another Christmas cookie exchange, at least she can try again next year.

My Review:

I don't know how else to put it - I kind of have a girl crush on Jen Mann. Her wit and humor and outlook on life is just the kind of traits that draw me to a gal pal. Author Jen Mann has written a book that lightens up life during the holidays. Through her, I learned that not everyone overly decorates for Christmas or puts up with Elf on the Shelf. Mann addresses a variety of holiday topics, with most pertaining to Christmas.
I will forewarn you that Spending the Holidays with People I Want to Punch in the Throat does have a crass, and sometimes sarcastic, tone. This is not an encouraging book about how great the holidays are; it's a book about not taking it all so seriously. I laughed, laughed, and laughed some more. Jen makes us see that we can survive the holidays, crazy Christmas carolers and all.

I received product for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

A lot of times on Saturdays my two nieces come over to spend the night. Although they're not necessarily scared of the dark, they receive some comfort by having a soft light on at night. Something they've really come to like is the Shimmer Unicorn portable night light from Bright Time Buddies.

Bright Time Buddies are an 'As Seen On TV' product. There are currently six animal designs available. Each requires batteries, which are not included.

When not in use, Bright Time Buddies have a white body with colored trim. The fun begins when they're turned on. The night light rotates between three colors - blue, yellow, and green. The colors rotate when it's turned on. If your child wants it to stay at one color, they can tap it to keep the light at color of choice. There's a 1-hour auto shutoff feature. Bright Time Buddies are durable, so they don't require extra careful handling. My nieces like the Shimmer Unicorn and think it's fun to have on at night. I like that the glow is enough for them to see but not so bright to be disturbing.

Monday, October 26, 2015

I received products for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

I'm probably the last person you want to come to for tips on how to properly apply makeup. I don't know much about the smoky eye look, the right concealer, or which lipstick matches what outfit. I've had my own makeup regimen for years and stick to it. What I don't stick to, however, is shades and colors of makeup. I like to experiment with eye shadow, blending colors together. Sometimes it's blue eyeliner for me, and sometimes it's brown or black. In other words, whatever floats my boat for that day is what I'll wear.

Smashbox, a company known for their makeup, recently gave me the opportunity to try their Photo Op Eyeshadow Trio and Always Sharp Liner. I love the way both add dramatic effect to my eyes and provide coverage for most of the day.

There are several color variations for the Eyeshadow Trio, with one of them being Skybox. That particular trio features three hues of blue. Each eye shadow trio includes three coordinated shadows so you can apply them as a base shade, contour color, and highlighter. I don't apply the eye shadow in that particular order or pattern, but rather put the lightest shade on first and then one of the darker shades over it.

Right after applying eye shadow, I apply eyeliner. Again, Smashbox has a variety of colors available for their liner. The Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner is, well, waterproof. It also self-sharpens every time you twist the cap off. It has a sharpener built right in the cap. I definitely dig that feature! It's quality makeup that brings out the best in my eyes.

I received products for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

Helen and Heggie

Halloween will soon be here. Not one to be left out, Helen recently received some spooky dog toys from Petmate.

Just like with children and toddlers, dogs need toys and entertainment too. Helen's favorite is stuffed animals so she was super excited when she first saw the Heggies Halloween Plush. For a limited time, the popular plush play toy Heggie (the hedgehog) is available in Halloween-themed costumes like the Mummy, Frankenstein and Vampire.

Heggies Halloween Plush in mummy costume

The Heggies Halloween Plush is ghoulishly cute and makes a grunting noise when squeezed. Helen had it for several days before completely destroying it. Ah well, it was fun while it lasted.

The ChuckIt! Lightplay Max Glow Translucent Pro Launcher is fun for outdoor play. It includes a durable plastic launcher and a ball, both which glow in the dark. The launcher allows the ball to be launched faster and farther than if you were just throwing the ball yourself. Sitting outside, I can chuck the ball at a long distance and Helen will bring it back for more fetching fun.

Another cool glow-in-the-dark pet toy is the JW Megalast Glow Ball. It's durable enough that Helen hasn't been able to tear it up. The ball has a super high bounce, and it's easy to find in the dark.

Right now, Petmate is having a Spooky Dog Sale by offering 25% off Chuckit! and JW Glow in the Dark Toys when you enter code SPOOKYDOG at checkout.

What kind of toys does your dog like to play with? Have you ever shopped at Petmate?

I received book for review from Moody Publishers. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

When a woman loves a man it's like all the cliches you have ever heard. She "stands by her man."; He has ";sunshine on a cloudy day."; She makes him feel like "a natural man.". When a woman loves a man you are looking at how Christ loves. She puts his needs before her own. She focuses on what he needs and how he needs it. When a woman loves a man she is his biggest cheerleader and encourager. She will go to great lengths to protect him and promote him. When a woman loves a man she stands by him against all odds, in front of him against all foes, and behind him to protect his back.

The Bible states that God took part of the man's rib and made the woman. This is significant for many reasons, one of which teaches us that the woman's love would be expressed in her protection of her husband emotionally. The ribcage protects the vital organs like the heart and the lungs. Yes, God has made man the physical protector of the woman but He's equaled the playing field by making the woman the emotional protector of the man. It has been said that man is the head, but it is the woman that turns the head. In Titus chapter 2 the older women are to teach the younger women how to love their husbands. When a Woman Loves a Man will explore and explain the characteristics that a woman demonstrates that expresses her love to her man in the way that God intended.

My Review:

My husband and I have been married for 13 years. Just like any other couple, our relationship has had its fair share of rocky times. The first few years with Jason were harder than the last few years have been. I honestly believe it's because we are now both devoted Christians who try to follow what the Bible says about marriage.

Although I'm quite happy in my marriage, I'm not against reading books that give insight and information on how to keep things going good. When A Man Loves A Woman, written by James Ford, Jr., is a book written for woman on how to strive towards becoming a better significant other.

Using biblical references and scripture, this book is broken down into six chapters. A couple of subjects covered include submission and tangible love. It was very helpful in getting me to recognize destructive and selfish behaviors. There are a handful of arguments that I didn't particularly agree with but, overall, I found this book to be insightful and I've even begun to put some of the advice into practice.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

I received product for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

The beloved Fix-It and Forget-It series has sold nearly 11 million copies, giving home cooks around the world exactly what they crave—recipes for delicious, satisfying meals that anyone can make with simple ingredients and minimal preparation time. Who doesn’t love being able to serve their family a wholesome dinner (and dessert!) without spending hours in the kitchen—or a fortune on groceries? Now, New York Times bestselling author Phyllis Good presents a collection that gives cooks even more!

Featuring 600 new, mouthwatering recipes, cooks will be amazed at the “magic” their slow cookers can perform. In addition to delicious soups, stews, and chilis, cooks will also find pizza, cheesecake, bar cookies, quick breads, and dozens of other surprising treats!

There are reasons why the Fix-It and Forget-It series is so popular, and this latest book is no exception.
Each page is packed with easy-to-follow, carefully tested recipes.
No one has enough time these days—with a slow cooker, anyone can prepare a fantastic meal in minutes!
The recipes use ingredients most people already have in their cupboards—no searching high and low for exotic foods that will break the bank.
With 16 pages of full-color photographs and a price that’s tough to beat, this is destined to become a staple on home cooks’ shelves everywhere.

My Review:

During this time of year, the slow cooker is a close friend. I count on it to cook meals that are hearty and tasteful. Although I have a few tried and true recipes, I'm excited that I now have a cookbook chock full of slow cooker recipes to create. Fix-It and Forget-It Slower Cooker Magic is a spiral bound cookbook with a wide variety of recipes. Best of all, it's meals that I can actually make. I don't have to go to the grocery store and look for exotic ingredients. I'm not a fanciful cook so I appreciate that this cookbook is made for someone like me who can actually create these recipes without them turning out to be a Pinterest fail.

Fix-It and Forget-It Slower Cooker Magic includes a page with hints for cooking with a slow cooker and a page with metric equivalent measurements. It also gives information on substitute ingredients to use for when you're in a pinch.

Several of the cookbook's pages are earmarked with intentions of making the meals soon. I didn't know that so many different meals could be made in a slow cooker. And now that I have the resource to do so, I'll be able to create my own slow cooker magic.

I received products for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

I could eat pasta with sauce several times a week. Whether it be spaghetti or fettuccine, pasta is best topped with sauces that are bold in flavor. Bertolli, known for its pasta sauces and olive oils, is a brand I've used several times. I think it's good quality at an affordable price.

Bertolli has come out with a new line of pasta sauces - Bertolli Riserva. These new sauces are made with made with artisanal ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil, imported Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, aged balsamic vinegar and porcini mushrooms.

Bertolli Riserva sauces are made with no artificial colors and are available in four delicious flavors:

• Marinara with Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

• Balsamic Vinegar with Caramelized Onions

• Asiago Cheese with Artichokes

• Porcini Mushroom with White Truffle Oil

These new premium sauces from Bertolli are unlike flavor combinations I've had before. I like how the different ingredients in each sauce are put together to create bold flavors. The sauces have a thick consistency and are robust in taste. Each one added deliciousness to the pasta dishes we created. Although I really liked all four, I'd have to say Balsamic Vinegar with Caramelized Onions was my favorite.

In honor of 150 years, Bertolli is also partnering with No Kid Hungry. For each #MyTuscanTable share on social media during October, the Bertolli brand will donate one dollar to help No Kid Hungry end childhood hunger in America. Just one dollar can help feed 10 healthy meals to kids in need. The goal is to provide up to half a million meals. Help them reach their goal by sharing the hashtag on social media during the remaining days in October.

Congrats to the winners and thanks to all who entered. I have several current active giveaways going on. They're listed at the top left hand side of my blog. There's no limit to how many you can enter or how many you can win.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

I received products for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

Eating fruits and vegetables isn't necessarily a problem in my household. For the most part, my kids will eat whatever is set in front of them. I know, though, that the struggle is real.

Birds Eye, the number one name in frozen vegetables has introduced a first-of-its-kind frozen offering, bringing nutritious, veggie-rich side dishes to kids, featuring Disney characters they know and love. It's definitely one way that might get kids to be more excited about consuming vegetables.

The Disney offerings by Birds Eye feature pastas in the shape of favorite Disney characters from Frozen, Disney Pixar's Cars, and the classic characters Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

There are four varieties of the Disney offerings by Birds Eye:

Mickey and Minnie - whole grain pasta and corn with a butter sauce

Anna and Elsa - pasta and peas with a parmesan cheese sauce

Olaf - pasta and carrots with a tomato sauce

Disney Pixar Cars - pasta and broccoli with a cheese sauce

I shopped at a handful of stores before finding one that carried this variety of vegetables. I was able to locate them at my local Hyvee. I picked up three of the varieties, excluding pasta and carrots. Each bag has enough to feed 2-3 people. The vegetables can be microwaved right in the bag, then eaten. They're quite tasty and the pasta shapes are appealing. For instance, the Disney Pixar Cars variety has pasta shaped like cars and trucks.

Through delicious, innovative products like these, Birds Eye is striving to increase vegetable consumption among families with convenient and flavorful veggie-filled options for every age group. For more information on Birds Eye products, please visit www.birdseye.com.

Win It!

One person will win free product coupons for Birds Eye Steamfresh Disney Vegetables and a prize pack of Disney merchandise.

I received product for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

Don't get me wrong, Disney princesses are super cute and cool but let's not overlook the villains. If it wasn't for them, there'd be no heroes. A couple of my favorite are Ursula of The Little Mermaid and Cruella De Vil of 101 Dalmations.

LONDON SOHO NEW YORK® has teamed up with Walgreens to offer consumers a daring Disney collection of cosmetic bags – this time featuring the original Villains: Maleficent, Snow White’s Evil Queen and Ursula. Available exclusively at Walgreens, the Villains collection contains six new cosmetic bags that will make being bad look so stylish.
This collection, including a weekender, organizer, train case and round top purse kit is inspired by the favorite foes of Disney’s classic tales.

I shop at Walgreens somewhat frequently and love that this collection is being offered there. I received an organizer featuring Snow White's Evil Queen and have to say that the design is killer (pardon the pun). It is shiny black with gold, with a picture of the bad bandit front and center. There's a zipper on top for opening and closing. The inside is roomy enough for me to stash my makeup. I love the design and functionality.

Unfortunately, these cosmetic bags currently aren't available on the Walgreens website. Next time I go shopping at the physical Walgreens store, I'm going to check and see if they're available there because I'd like to add the others to the one I already have.

I received product for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

Kids can sometimes be reluctant to take a bath. They think of all sorts of excuses why there's no need to simply sit in some water and get their bodies clean. Sometimes, it's out of anxiety. I, along with most mothers, know that it can take some creativity to get children not to dread bath time. I buy toys and other items to get them excited. Rubber duckies, floating figurines, and other goodies are dumped in the bath water with my nieces and nephews when they come over to stay, hoping it makes the bath time experience more fun.

A somewhat new and innovative way to get kids more excited about bath time is SoapSox. They are the next generation of washcloths for kids. Each SoapSox critter looks like a typical stuffed animal, yet they are designed to go in the bath. Every SoapSox is “stuffed” with an antimicrobial sponge on the inside.

SoapSox work like a washcloth in that bar soap can be stuffed inside the entry point opening or liquid soap can be poured in there. Once the soap is in, dunk the SoapSox in water and allow it to lather. Kids can then use the SoapSox to gently wash their entire body. Built-in child-size finger pockets allow children to easily grasp the SoapSox and keep a firm grip while cleaning.

There are nineSoapSox creatures available, ranging from dragons and stingrays to sharks and whales. Made with soft terry polyester cloth on the outside, SoapSox can be washed and dried for long-time use.

SoapSox can be found at Nordstrom, Buy Buy Baby, Bed Bath & Beyond and many other stores around the country and retail for $14.95. SoapSox are an adorably fun way for kids to get excited about bath time. An added plus is that each purchase of SoapSox gives back to organizations that provide safe places for children.

ME

The Short of It

In addition to writing for my blog, Heck Of A Bunch, I also work full-time as a 911 Dispatcher. I'm married with a blended family of six kids and a dog. In what spare time I have left, I'm a referee for the local roller derby team.

PR Welcome

If you'd like me to try out your product or sponsor a giveaway, please don't be shy. I'd be honored to team up and have some fun! E-mail me at partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com.I am interested in reviewing your products and/or hosting a giveaway. I require a sample product for all reviews. Sample products will not be returned and you will be responsible for all shipping costs.Please allow up to 2 weeks for your review to be completed. I will send you an e-mail when the products arrives and again with the link once the review is posted on my blog. Thanks!

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FTC Disclosure

I receive products for review from companies so I can try them and give my full, honest opinion. The opinions within the post are of my own and I am not influenced in any way.
It is the reader's responsibility to research all facts regarding a product.
At times I write a sponsored post and that fact is included in the post. As well, I include the fact that I have received a product for review.